NET+ Canvas Newsletter
May 2023
In this version of the NET+ Canvas Newsletter, learn about the latest updates from Instructure about Canvas, comments and feedback from the Canvas Advisory Board, as well as best practices in Canvas use around the Internet2 Community.
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Table of Contents
Instructure Updates
The latest from Instructure regarding Canvas product offerings.
Why Choose: The Benefits of Integrating Google Classroom with Canvas LMS
As the education sector becomes more reliant on technology and we see a shift toward blended and online learning, institutions must choose technology and learning management systems (LMS) that keep students engaged and positively impact their success. The first step to increasing student engagement with a platform is to understand its utilization. The second step, often more challenging to navigate, is to find timely ways to address underutilization. Read more here.
Engaging Faculty with Cohort-Based Professional Development
For our recent transition to Canvas, the Notre Dame Teaching & Learning Technologies team decided to embrace a community of practice style model emphasizing connection and collaboration as opposed to a set of sequenced, one-off training sessions. We call our program, Teaching Well with Canvas (TWWC). The goal of TWWC is to go beyond the how of the technology and start instead with the why. In addition to sharing our expertise as academic technologists, we bring in speakers to cover skills to maximize the use of the new system. Learn more here
Evolving Faculty Empowerment in Higher Education
When educational delivery was forced to shift during the pandemic, providing students with continued access to education was the top priority for higher education institutions around the world. However, as institutions adapted to online and hybrid course modalities, and found ways to support students with academic and mental health resources, faculty burnout grew. If institutions intend to retain and attract educators who can sustainably champion student and organizational success, realistic strategies for faculty empowerment must become a focal point. Read more here
Building Transferable Skills for the Workplace of Tomorrow
Futurists are predicting that by 2030, almost 50% of jobs will become obsolete. Stack that on top of an already present skills gap and declining trends in enrollment for undergraduate and graduate programs due to perceived Return on Investment. These two circumstances alone should serve as a critical wake-up call not only for organizations but for academia preparing the future of the workforce. Read more here
Click here for all things Higher Education by Instructure.
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Canvas Advisory Board Updates
Upcoming Meeting: June 12th, 2023
The next Canvas Advisory Board meeting will be on June 12th, 2023. Agenda items will be finalized and posted during the 2 weeks leading up to the meeting.
A complete listing of all Canvas Advisory Board meeting agendas can be found here.
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Meeting Recap
The agendas for our upcoming 2023 meetings have been published for your viewing. Please note, these are working documents and subject to change so please check back for any updates on a regular basis.
Thank you to all who participated in this month’s meeting for your insightful feedback, ideas, and discussion! Should you have any questions or want further information around the work being done by the NET+ Canvas Service Advisory Board or a copy of the Partner Program Report, please don’t hesitate to visit us at https://spaces.at.internet2.edu/x/7BOJCQ or contact us at netplus@internet2.edu and we will be happy to respond.
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NET+ Canvas Program Update
Service Advisory Board Goals for 2023
Goal #1
Continue to have timely discussions about Customer Experience as it relates to Instructure products and services, the NET+ Canvas program, our community, as well as future Instructure M&A conversations.
Deliverable: Continue to update/refine Canvas Institutional Profiles for effective collaboration within the program.
Deliverable: Bring to light community needs that are not being addressed otherwise in these areas.
Goal #2
Instructure to conduct semi-annual product roadmap discussion and a review of the R1 Peers/I2 product feature request list.
Deliverable: Continue to develop and refine, with Shaun Moon and Kevin Turco, a strategy and process for I2 and R1 Peer universities to provide Instructure with actionable information on pain points and unmet needs. The strategy and process should be synced with Instructure's product development cycle and allow Instructure to clearly communicate status and progress back to the universities.
Goal #3
Initiate advisory board input on Instructure’s platform strategy as it relates to third party vendors and data integration/mash-ups.
Deliverable: Focused discussion with Kevin Turco and Karl Lloyd.
Deliverable: Focused discussion on what universities are doing with Canvas data and live events. What action do the data feed?
Deliverable: Implement this goal's outcomes effectively within the Canvas Institutional Profiles for further collaboration.
Goal #4
Continue Instructure product strategy discussions with Jared Stein.
NET+ Canvas - HELPFUL LINKS
Around the Community
Commentary from I2 Canvas users: advice, best practices, feedback.
R1 Peers
The Canvas Peers Research Universities Group (or R1 Peers Group) brings together representatives from large public and private research universities to share best practices around using Canvas and the surrounding ed tech ecosystem to support teaching and learning. They also collaborate closely with Instructure (Canvas vendor) and sit on the Internet2 NET+ Canvas Service Advisory Board to improve the Canvas platform and user experience for research universities. This group represents more than 250 members from 45 institutions of higher education and research across the United States, and around the world.
For context, recently the R1 Peers Group has collaborated in the following areas:
- Tier 1 support
- Archiving
- 3rd party integrations
- Pain points
- Data privacy
LRS Standards SIG
The Learning Records Store (LRS) Special Interest Group (SIG) assembles use cases for an LRS, creates an LRS reference architecture, and develops implementation/engineering best practices. The SIG promotes open standards that enable data from a variety of teaching and learning tools to be included in the LRS.
This group is chaired by the University of Washington and meets monthly on the fourth Wednesday of the month, however the LRS SIG is currently on hold until May 2022. For more information or to join this group, please reach out to Matthew Buss (mbuss@internet2.edu). Thank you.